ST KILDA'S pre-season injury crisis is starting to abate with midfielder Farren Ray set to return from a two-month hamstring injury.
The 29-year-old will line up for Sandringham on Sunday against Frankston with a view to push for senior selection for the Saints' clash with West Coast the following week.
Ray underwent surgery to repair a ruptured tendon in his right hamstring in early March, after tearing it in the Saints' NAB Challenge loss to the Brisbane Lions.
"He was available for full selection so he's not there for any other reason other than he probably needs a game," football manager Jamie Cox told AFL.com.au on Wednesday.
"I suspect after a game if he plays well he'll be up for [senior] selection.
"It's just now a matter of how the main team's going and whether he forces his way in."
Ray is considered to be slightly ahead of his rehabilitation schedule, with fellow midfielder Seb Ross – who also suffered a serious hamstring injury that needed surgery in March – set to return via the VFL next week.
The Saints will have Shane Savage available for Saturday's clash with Adelaide after the defender passed a concussion test earlier in the week.
Savage was subbed out of the Saints' come-from-behind win over the Western Bulldogs after being knocked in the head in the second term.
Captain Nick Riewoldt and veteran midfielder Leigh Montagna, who returned from a calf and knee injury respectively, have both recovered well and are also expected to travel to Adelaide Oval to face the Crows.
Fourth-year wingman Daniel Markworth is on the verge of resuming contested training after a change in fortune following a shoulder injury.
It appeared as though the 23-year-old's season was over when he dislocated his shoulder in a mistimed tackle at training in early March.
But instead of a reconstruction, he made the bold decision to undergo a Latarjet procedure, which involves using a piece of bone to block the shoulder from dislocating again and comes with a shorter recovery period.
"When we said season ending, which was where we first diagnosed it, it was probably always very conservative," Cox said.
"There was always hope and anticipation we'd get him back to play some football this year.
"It's just been good rehab, a good process, he's training really hard and doing some good things but he's still not involved in full contact stuff.
"We're hopeful because everything has gone pretty well so far."
The untried and unlucky Markworth is listed as three weeks away on the injury list, which is an optimistic figure but obviously better than his initial prognosis.
The fact he's in consideration to play at all this year is a big positive with his current contract to expire at the season's end.
"I think regardless of all that, it's important to get him back and playing, he's had a pretty frustrating run over the past few years during his time with us," Cox said.
"We'll let everything else take care of itself when it comes around. We know he wants to play desperately so that's our main consideration.
"There's a few other things that will roll out at the end of the year and in their own time but first thing's first – we want to see him play and we know he wants to."
Utility Arryn Siposs is also slated to return from shoulder surgery in around five weeks, while Brodie Murdoch has played three games in the VFL – one in the development league – after a back injury.
Cox said the Saints' fortunes as a whole had improved significantly since they suffered a spate of five hamstring injuries within a few weeks in March.
"Looking back two months ago we were concerned but I think we made a bit of noise last week about having 45 on the track last week, which was fantastic to see," he said.
"Fingers crossed, we stay healthy."
